Budgets will likely be the main focus for Kansas lawmakers for the rest of the session.
That was the perspective of all four local and area lawmakers who attended Legislative Dialogue at Emporia Presbyterian Manor. 17th District Senator and Senate Vice President Jeff Longbine of Emporia says more work is ahead, but the Senate has accomplished a lot of its agenda so far.
On K-12 education funding, 60th District Representative Mark Schreiber of Emporia says a lot of people have had enough of the legal battle dating back over 20 years.
51st District Representative Ron Highland of Wamego is concerned about education funding and its potential impact on other core services.
76th District Representative Eric Smith of Burlington is looking forward to putting education funding to bed once and for all. The question, he says, is how to satisfy the Kansas Supreme Court.
As far as other issues, Schreiber says there has been a lot of support outside the Statehouse for medical marijuana — although lawmakers don’t seem ready to take that step yet.
Saturday’s Dialogue was organized by the Emporia Area Chamber of Commerce Government Matters Committee and the League of Women Voters.
